Jammu, 24 August (H.S.): BJP among other opposition parties and trade bodies have strongly criticised the Omar Abdullah-led Jammu and Kashmir Government over the increase in electricity tariffs, terming it an anti-people policy and an additional burden on ordinary households.

Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Er Ghulam Ali Khatana, while speaking on the sidelines of the State office bearers' meeting in Srinagar today, lambasted the Government for increasing electricity tariffs and accused it of burdening the poor and common people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Khatana said that increasing electricity tariffs at a time when people are already facing rising household expenses reflects the Government's anti-people approach. He said the decision places an unnecessary financial burden on families, particularly the poor and middle class.

He accused the Omar Abdullah-led Government of a breach of trust, saying that the people had expected relief and fulfilment of commitments rather than higher charges for essential services.

Describing the tariff increase as an open jazia on the people of Jammu, Khatana said the Government should withdraw the hike and provide relief to ordinary consumers.

Ranbir Singh Pathania, MLA Udhampur East, said that by the tariff increase, National Conference Government has once again proved that it is `anti-people, anti-Jammu & Kashmir.'

While the people of J&K are awaiting the promised 200 units of free electricity, the NC Government has rewarded them with a brutal power tariff hike, he said.

Terming JERC orders is a hoax and a camouflage as it is a statutory regulatory body while overall role and control regarding power policy, DISCOM performance and subsidies and protection of consumers remains with the UT Government, Pathania said that a whopping 6.52 percent hike in energy charges and a whopping 25 percent overall hike in Fixed Charges is not a tariff rationalization, but an ‘open loot’.

The MLA demanded that this ‘anti-people’ order be withdrawn immediately, otherwise BJP will be forced to launch a massive agitation from the streets to the Assembly in the upcoming Budget Session.

Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari, while addressing a public meeting at Brain Nishat in Srinagar, strongly opposed the recent hike in power tariffs and said: , We already knew that the ruling party had blatantly lied to the people when it sought votes by promising 200 units of free electricity to every household, along with several other such promises. However, we had never imagined that this Government would further burden the already financially strained people by increasing the power tariff.

Stating that many families are facing such acute economic hardship that they can barely afford medicines for their sick family members, he asked, how can they possibly bear the additional burden of a power tariff hike?

He demanded that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also holds the Power portfolio, should immediately withdraw the recent order announcing the tariff hike.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar